


Healing

by Leggo My Lego Harry Potter (Runic_Purple_Panda)



Series: Fanfiction.net: Revived and Revised [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, LEGO Harry Potter (Video Games)
Genre: Butt Monkey Lockhart, Evil Dumbledore, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 06:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4736876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runic_Purple_Panda/pseuds/Leggo%20My%20Lego%20Harry%20Potter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Upon finding Harry Potter outside Borgin and Burkes, Madam Poppy Pomfrey discovers something sinister is going on.</p><p>*~*The prologue of this story was previously posted on Fanfiction.net, but the story was left there uncompleted.  Even if you read the chapter posted there, please reread the whole story.  It has been revised, edited, and completed since then.*~*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Knockturn Alley

**Author's Note:**

> While in the Borgin and Burkes story part in free play, Hagrid turned into Madam Pomfrey. Only the prologue of this story was posted to FF.net. There are some minor edits, but it has remained mostly the same.

“Oh dear me. What on earth are you doing _here_ , Mr. Potter?” Harry heard a voice behind him say. Harry turned around and sighed in relief. It was Madam Pomfrey, the medi-witch of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the iron-fisted ruler of the Hospital Wing.

“I don’t know. I went through the floo. I meant to be in Diagon Alley, but ended up here instead. Where is here?” Harry answered.

“Knockturn Alley – not a place for young children to be without a proper guardian. I’m here for some rarer books on healing. That store over there has them.” She gestured to a shabby looking store with a sign that said ‘Saber’s Rare Books’. It was faded, and the biggest ‘S’ looked as though it could fall off at any moment.

“Well, I’m certainly not going to leave you here to wander about alone. Who knows what sort of trouble you’d get yourself into? You’ll just have to come with me. After I get the books, we’ll find whoever it is you are supposed to be in Diagon Alley with.”

“The Weasleys.”

“The Weasleys then. Not hard to miss – bright red hair, the lot of them. This way, Mr. Potter.” Harry followed her into the bookstore.

“Ah, Poppy. Here for the books, then? Don’t suppose I could convince you to stay for tea?” the man behind the counter said. His hair was a silvery blonde, and he had sky blue eyes. Harry almost expected him to float around, rather than walk.

“Not today, I’m afraid Saber. Mr. Potter here has gotten lost. I’ll be returning him to his watchers after this.”

“Ah, of course,” Saber said, walking over to some shelves, and pulling out a few books before placing them on the counter. “I have a few more in the back.” He disappeared through a door. Madam Pomfrey took a closer look at Harry.

“Do your hands hurt?” she asked. Harry frowned and looked down at them. Several nasty scratches were on them. They throbbed painfully, as if realizing he just noticed them. Madam Pomfrey must have caught his wince of pain, as she immediately picked him up, and placed him on the counter. “Let me see them, Mr. Potter.”

* * *

At the first wince of pain, she lifted him up and placed him on the counter. She frowned at how light he was, but continued on anyway.

“Let me see them, Mr. Potter,” she told him, holding one of her hands out for his. She ran a basic diagnostic spell on them. They weren’t infected, though the debris needed to be cleaned out of the scratches before she could heal them.

There seemed to be a problem with the diagnostic spell though, as though it was trying to tell her something, but couldn’t. She frowned, cast a skin-friendly cleaning spell at Harry’s hands, and then healed the scratches.

“Mr. Potter, may I do a deeper diagnostic on you?”

Harry looked up from his hands, which he had been staring at with wonder, and asked, “Again?”

“It’s not like the one I just did, Mr. Potter. It-”

Harry interrupted her, “-shows you a more in-depth history of my current and past injuries. The one you used before was just for surface injuries. The deeper one takes more magic, so healers don’t usually use it first.”

Poppy was stunned. That was almost word for word what she had planned to tell him. “How did you know that, Mr. Potter?”

“You told me,” Harry said, frowning.

“I did?” Poppy was puzzled. She couldn’t remember doing that. “Mr. Potter, have I cast the deeper diagnostic on you before?”

“Eight times last year, Madam Pomfrey. Don’t you remember?”

“I’m afraid, Mr. Potter, that I do not. May I cast it again?” Harry’s frown grew deeper, but he nodded. “Thank you.” She cast it, and then gasped in horror at the results it showed her.

“You did that every time too,” Harry told her.

“Mr. Potter, this is-”

“-very serious,” Harry said, interrupting her again. “I must take this to the Headmaster immediately. Stay right there, and don’t you move a muscle!” Harry frowned again. “And then you come back, and let me out of the hospital wing as though it was nothing.”

“Here we are,” Saber said, coming back into the shop front, placing another four books in the pile. “Will that be all?”

“Yes, thank you Saber. How much?”

“Forty galleons,” he said, placing the books in a bag. “Are you alright?”

“No, I’m not. Check on me in the next few days, and make sure I remember casting a deeper diagnostic on Mr. Potter. Thank you, and goodbye Saber.” Saber frowned as the two left the store.


	2. 01: Sanctuary

“Oh Harry, there you are!” Molly Weasley rushed over and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for finding him Poppy. I hope he wasn’t any trouble?”

“None, of course,” Madam Pomfrey said. “We must go to Gringotts immediately.” Molly was surprised, but didn’t get a chance to reply as Pomfrey ushered Harry to the large marble building.

“Poppy, what’s going on?” Molly asked as soon as they crossed the threshold into the bank.

“I’ll explain later.” Madam Pomfrey raised her wand above her head, and the tip began glowing. “I request sanctuary from the goblins of Gringotts!” The noise in the bank dropped, and customers and goblins alike stared at her in shock. Finally, a goblin came up to them.

“Who requests for sanctuary?”

“Poppy Pomfrey, medi-witch at Hogwarts.”

“Who do you request sanctuary for?”

“Myself, and Harry Potter.” Molly gasped, and she wasn’t the only one. Noise exploded in the bank as everyone started talking at once.

“This way,” the goblin said.

“We’ll talk later Molly,” Madam Pomfrey said, as she and Harry were led away. Molly nodded. No one noticed a beetle following after Pomfrey and Harry.

* * *

“My name is Clapsaw,” the goblin in front of them said, as he gestured for them to sit. “I will be overlooking your request for sanctuary. You are not Mr. Potter’s guardian.” It was a statement, and Poppy caught on to the hidden meaning quickly.

“The Stockrail Healing Treaty of 1815 allows for any witch or wizard with medical experience of any sort to claim sanctuary on behalf of a patient if the parent or guardian of that patient is part of or the whole cause of the claim to sanctuary,” Pomfrey said.

Stockrail had been a half-goblin that had learned the ways of healing at St. Monroe’s, the precursor to St. Mungo’s.

“Very well. The reason for your claim?” Poppy held up her wand, and pointed it at Harry.

“If I may?” The goblin nodded, and Poppy cast the deeper diagnostic. The goblin went from uninterested to furious in seconds. “As you can see, his current guardian or guardians are, if not abusive themselves, then highly neglectful for allowing so much damage to have happened. I have apparently cast the deeper diagnostic this several times,” Pomfrey said.

“Eight in the last year, and two today,” Harry said.

“Eight times last year,” Pomfrey said, “and apparently, each time I went to the Headmaster, and returned without any memory of it.”

“I see. I will have a mind-healer and an auror brought here immediately.”

“Thank you.

* * *

Rita Skeeter rubbed her front legs together with glee. If she hadn’t been in her beetle form, she’d probably be cackling. This was going to be the story of the year! Harry Potter abused by neglectful relatives, his healer made to forget his injuries by the evil Headmaster.

Rita had always known there was something off about Dumbledore. No one was that kind and grandfatherly without some ulterior motive. Rita shook herself out of her thoughts as three more people entered the room.

She flew in a little closer to better listen in.

* * *

“Madam Pomfrey, Mr. Potter,” Clapsaw said. “These are Healer Tonks, and Aurors Shacklebolt and Jones.”

“I understand you are claiming sanctuary. Which of you are to be my patient today?” Healer Tonks asked.

“I have been obliviated several times,” Poppy said.

“I find it hard to believe that a healer would need to be legally obliviated, especially one that works at Hogwarts,” Shacklebolt said. “I take it that’s the reason we are here?”

“Correct,” Clapsaw said, as Healer Tonks waved her wand over Poppy’s head.

“I count at least six obliviations, possibly more,” Tonks said. “Give me a moment, and I’ll be able to unlock them.”

* * *

“Oh Headmaster, it’s horrible! Harry Potter has an extensive list of injuries. I must insist you send for the aurors, sir. His guardians must be arrested at once!”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that Madam Pomfrey,” Dumbledore said, raising his wand. “And I’m afraid I can’t have anyone taking him from the Dursleys. OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horrible! Harry Potter has an extensive list of injuries.”

“Yes, I’m aware. OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horrible!”

“Harry Potter?”

“Yes, how did you know? He has an-”

“-extensive list of injuries? OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horrible!”

“OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horrible!”

“Oh for Merlin’s sake. Again!?”

“Again?”

“OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horri-”

“OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s-”

“OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“Headmaster, it’s horrible! Harry Potter has an extensive list of injuries. You must summon the aurors. His guardians must be arrested at once!”

“How many times? How many times can you cast that spell on the boy? Ugh, I’ll just have to charm the hospital wing to insure you don’t cast it again. Other students may suffer, but it’s for the Greater Good.”

“Headmaster!?”

“OBLIVIATE!”

* * *

“I believe that’s all of them,” Tonks said. “Do you remember who obliviated you?”

“Dumbledore!”

“Dumbledore?” Shacklebolt asked. “Are you sure? Could it have been an imposter?”

“No, no imposter. It was in his office. That gargoyle of his and the floo are charmed. An imposter would never get in. I went to see him about Harry’s injuries. We need to remove him from his guardians – they’re either horribly abusive or terrifyingly neglectful. But every time I brought it up, he’d obliviate me. He also said he was going to charm the hospital wing to make sure I never cast the deeper diagnostic spell again. It was lucky I came across Mr. Potter today or I’d have never remembered.”

“We’ll need copies of those memories,” Jones said, “but, I can’t see Madam Bones not signing a warrant for Dumbledore’s arrest after she finds out about all this.”

“If she doesn’t, I’ll go to Hogwarts and challenge the bastard to a duel myself,” Shacklebolt said. “No one who would allow a child to be abused like this should be allowed near children.”

Healer Tonks finished pulling copies of the obliviated memories from Poppy’s head, and passed them to Auror Jones, “Here you are. If it’s alright with you Master Goblin, I will stay here with Poppy and Mr. Potter.”

“That is fine,” Clapsaw said. “I will go finish the paperwork for the sanctuary claim.”

“If we may, I’d like to begin healing Mr. Potter,” Poppy said.

“Of course. Feel free to cast whatever spells you need too. There will be several guards outside the door. If you need the ingredients for a potion, please inform them.”

* * *

Rita exited Gringotts on the back of one of the aurors. Once they were in Diagon Alley, she took off for the Daily Prophet Offices. Barnabas was going to give her the front page for sure! She’d have to hurry and write the story now.

There were one or two reporters that hung around the DMLE, hoping for a good story, the amateurs. But even amateurs got lucky once in a while, and Rita wanted this story on the editor’s desk before one of them attempted to break it.

* * *

Amelia Bones came out of the pensieve snarling, “And we let that bastard around our children!? Take a team to Hogwarts and arrest Albus Dumbledore. Send my secretary in on your way out.” Amelia removed her monocle and rubbed both her eyes tiredly. She was getting to old for this shit, but she didn’t dare leave her position, for fear of one of Fudge’s lackeys, or worse, one of Malfoy’s lackeys getting the position.

“Can I get you anything Director?” her secretary, Rebecca asked.

“A headache reliever, some tea, and every file the ministry has on Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore,” Amelia said.

“Yes ma’am. I’ll get your tea and headache reliever first.”

“It’s going to be a long day,” Amelia muttered after Rebecca left.

* * *

It would be even longer than Amelia knew, because at that very moment, a special edition copy of the Daily Prophet was winging its way to every subscribed customer, including Albus Dumbledore, with headlines that would shock the nation.

The British Wizarding World’s worldview was about to be turned upside down and shattered to pieces.


	3. 02: Hogwarts

**_SPECIAL EDITION_ **

**_Boy-Who-Lived, Also Boy-Who-Was-Abused!_ **

**_Dumbledore Casts Illegal Spells to Keep Him in Abusive Household_ **

 

_Earlier today Madam Poppy Pomfrey, medi-witch at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, walked into Gringotts bank and claimed sanctuary on behalf of herself and Harry Potter. Why would she do this, you may ask. Young Harry Potter has been horribly abused. And why has she only discovered this and brought it to our attention now?_

_The truth is, she hasn’t. She has discovered it many, many times, and always brought it to the attention of the Chief Warlock, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. What did Albus Dumbledore do with this information? Did he remove young Harry Potter from his abusive household? Did he have young Harry Potter’s abusive relatives arrested? Did he make sure young Harry Potter recovered from his injuries inflicted by said abusive relatives?_

_The answer to all these questions is no. Instead, he removed all memory of young Harry’s abuse from Madam Pomfrey’s mind and sent her on her way. It was only by chance that Madam Pomfrey stumbled upon young Harry today and discovered his extensive injuries again. Gringotts, of course, accepted the claim of sanctuary, and immediately summoned a healer and the aurors._

_Aurors who are very likely on their way to arrest Dumbledore right now, and with good reason. No one who allows the abuse of a child to continue should ever be allowed to work with children. The Daily Prophet will bring you more information as it arises._

_-Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet_

Albus Dumbledore stared at the article in alarm, and then read through it again just to make sure he had read it correctly. He had. How could things have gone so wrong, so fast? Perhaps he should have bespelled Pomfrey herself into not casting that dratted spell, rather than just charming the hospital wing. But the woman almost never left the hospital wing. She even took her meals in there.

How was he to predict a chance meeting between her and Harry Potter outside of Hogwarts? A chance meeting which had now ruined nearly everything. He would have to make his escape now, before the aurors came. Thankfully, he still had those loyal to him in the castle. The moment Harry Potter set foot in Hogwarts, he would be delivered straight to Dumbledore’s waiting arms.

And once he had Harry, he could muddle with the boy’s memories enough to make him accuse Poppy of being his abuser and poor Albus Dumbledore as the framed victim that had tried to save young Harry. It would only be a matter of time. A few weeks at most.

“Well Fawkes,” Dumbledore said, getting up, “I suppose it’s time we left.”

Fawkes gave an agreeing trill, and held out his tail feathers. The two disappeared from Hogwarts in a flash of flame.

* * *

A weeping Hagrid opened up the gates for the group of aurors.

“Good Afternoon, Hagrid,” Shacklebolt said. “We’re here to see Dumbledore. It’s urgent.”

“I don’ think you’ll find ‘im if it’s true,” Hagrid said, before blowing his nose on a large handkerchief. “Prophet jus’ came. Tell me it isn’t true.”

“This late in the afternoon, must be a special edition,” Jones said.

“We haven’t seen it,” Shacklebolt said. Hagrid handed the man his copy. Shacklebolt began cursing. “Quickly now, before the old bastard escapes!”

The aurors began sprinting towards the castle, leaving Hagrid behind them howling, “Then it is true!”

* * *

“What do you mean he escaped!?” Amelia demanded.

“This showed up before we did,” Shacklebolt said, showing her the Daily Prophet. “He was long gone by the time we got there.”

“Damn it to hell. I’ll have Cuffe and Skeeter’s throats for this. Get back to Gringotts and inform them of Dumbledore’s escape. I need to go inform Fudge of this, and get a warrant out for Dumbledore’s arrest. How the hell did she know so much?”

* * *

“It appears Mr. Dumbledore has escaped before he could be placed in custody,” Clapsaw said. “Since this _rag_ ,” he gestured to the latest copy of the Daily Prophet, “announced your plea of sanctuary, we believe he may be coming here.”

“With that in mind,” Shacklebolt said, “we believe it is best for you to be moved.”

“Where to?” Poppy said. “Is anywhere even safe from him?”

“Hogwarts,” Shacklebolt said. “With his escape, we don’t believe he’ll be returning anytime soon. And he certainly wouldn’t expect us to move you there.”

“Which is, of course, the perfect reason to do so,” Poppy said. “Well then, no time to dawdle. There’s a madman coming. I have quite a few of the potions Harry should take in the hospital wing already.”

“I’ll remain with you,” Andromeda said. Poppy nodded.

* * *

“Printing an article is not against the law!” Barnabas Cuffe insisted.

“No, but interfering into an official investigation is,” Amelia said. “Because of the article, Dumbledore knew we were coming for him.”

“So your aurors were too slow to catch him. How is that our fault?”

“You’re lucky Dumbledore decided to run, Barnabas. If Dumbledore had stayed, and fought off my aurors, you’d be an accessory. As it is, we’re charging you with conspiracy.”

“What!? That’s absurd.”

“We’re willing to drop the charges against you if you tell us everything you know about Skeeter.”

“Never.”

“I don’t think you understand. I’m not asking. The goblins are very interested in how she got her information. And it’s never wise to upset a goblin, especially when they have all your gold. Tell me Barnabas, would the Daily Prophet have enough gold in its vaults to pay up if the goblins decide to call in the loans you owe them?”

Cuffe’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head.

“Then you better start talking.”

* * *

“Here we are then,” Poppy said. “Up on the bed, Mr. Potter. You know which one.”

“The one you keep saying you’re going to put a plaque with my name on it on,” Harry said.

“That’s the one,” Poppy said.

“I’ll be going to see Minerva, to see about setting up some extra security for you,” Shacklebolt said.

Poppy nodded, “Very well. We’ll still be here when you’re done. Here, Harry, drink these.” She held out a tray filled with potions out to him. Harry grimaced but obligingly drank each one.

Harry yawned.

“One of those was a dreamless sleep. It’s better for you to sleep through the majority of the healing process,” Poppy said.

“The more rest the better,” Andromeda agreed.

“Stupefy!” came a voice from behind them. A red jet of light hit Poppy in the back. The second Poppy went down, Andromeda had spun around and launched a cutting curse at their attacker. It sliced Snape across the cheek, before he knocked her out as well.

Snape strode over to the bed, where Harry’s eyes were just beginning to droop. “Wha-why would you?”

Snape sighed. “I am truly sorry about this Mr. Potter. I gave an oath to the wrong person and now I must ruin both our lives for it.”

Harry fell back on to the bed, asleep. Snape picked him up and strode out of the hospital wing.

* * *

“Well that was exhausting,” McGonagall said to Shacklebolt. “To think, Dumbledore left our defenses so low.” The two of them exited the Anchor Room, where all the wards for Hogwarts were anchored. The two of them had repaired and recast as many of the wards as they could.

“I’ll return to the hospital wing now,” Shacklebolt said.

“I think I’ll go with you,” McGonagall said. “I could use an Invigoration Draught. Poppy always keeps a few of them ready for the staff.”

“Teaching is tiring?”

“Teaching is easy. Dealing with nearly a thousand students is tiring.”

The entered the hospital wing to find Poppy and Andromeda unconscious on the floor.

“Poppy! Andy!” McGonagall exclaimed rushing towards them. Shacklebolt drew his wand and made a search of the hospital wing.

“We’re clear,” he said when he was done, “but Potter’s missing.”

“Hogwarts would have informed us of Dumbledore’s return,” McGonagall said.

“Which means someone inside Hogwarts took him.”

“I can temporarily close the floo. If they’re still here, they’ll have to leave by walking out the gates and past the wards.”

Shacklebolt nodded and tore out of the room, heading for the stairs to the floor below. McGonagall cast the spell needed to halt the floo, and then another to sound the Hogwarts alarms.

* * *

“Severus? What on earth happened to your cheek?” Flitwick’s voice came from behind him. “Is that Mr. Potter? Why is he unconscious? Where are you taking him?”

Snape drew his wand immediately, but Flitwick wasn’t a dueling champion for nothing, and out drew him, stunning Snape before he could raise his wand and bound him in ropes. Alarms began sounding around the castle as Flitwick picked up Harry.

“Let’s get you back to the infirmary and see what those alarms are about, shall we?” he said. He gave one last glance at Snape, saying, “Probably the two of you,” and walked up the stairs.

Shacklebolt nearly ran them over. Flitwick nodded over his shoulder. “Snape’s over there. I’m taking Mr. Potter to the hospital wing.” Shacklebolt nodded and moved towards Snape.


	4. 03: Snape's Oath

Severus Snape woke up being shoved into a chair. Chains wrapped themselves around him. The members of the Wizengamot looked on.

Algernon Croaker, voted in as Chief Warlock after the article about Dumbledore, banged his gavel several times, getting everyone’s attention. “Severus Snape, you have been charged with Kidnapping, Conspiracy, and Aiding and Abetting a Criminal. How do you plead?”

“Guilty with extenuating circumstances,” Snape said.

“And what circumstances are those?”

“Veritaserum please. I don’t wish for anyone to claim I’m lying, and it should let me speak of things I normally wouldn’t due to my oath.”

“Very well.” A vial of Veritaserum was brought in, and Snape was dosed.

“I overheard a prophecy many years ago, while I was still in service to the Dark Lord. I told him off all I heard, even though it was only part. The one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord Aproches. Born to those that have thrice-defied him. Born as the seventh month dies. There were only two families that fit the part – the Longbottoms and the Potters. Lily – Mrs. Potter – and I had been friends in school.

“The second I realized she was in danger, I begged the Dark Lord to spare her. But she was a muggleborn, someone he’d never spare, so I went to Dumbledore, and told him everything, begging him to save her instead. He promised to do so, and to save me from Azkaban by claiming me as his spy, if I swore an oath of loyalty to him. I couldn’t have cared less about going to Azkaban, but I was desperate for Lily to live, and if anyone could beat the Dark Lord, surely it would be Albus Dumbledore, the one wizard he was afraid of.

“But instead of saving my best friend, and her husband, he let them die, so he could control their son. All he needed to do was get the godparents out of the way and seal the Potters’ will.”

“Damn,” Augusta Longbottom said. “Dumbledore had us seal the will, claiming he wanted to protect the Potter estate from those that would take advantage of the main inheritor being a child.”

“And like a bunch of fools, we believed him,” Croaker said. “Who were his godparents?”

“Sirius Black and Alice Longbottom.”

There was an uproar, as everyone started yelling at once. Croaker had to bang the gavel several times before everyone quieted down.

Snape continued, “Sirius Black was the easiest, incite him into running off to take revenge on the Potter’s secret keeper, and insure he go to Azkaban without a trial. But Alice Longbottom would be harder. Instead of staying in a house Dumbledore provided, the Longbottoms remained hiding behind the wards of their ancestral keep instead. On a trip there, he disabled the alarm ward, and then allowed himself to be overheard discussing the location of the keep. Crouch and the LeStranges attacked only hours after that.”

“I’ll murder the bastard!” Augusta screamed.

“And your kidnapping of Harry Potter? That was due to this loyalty oath?” Croaker asked.

“Yes.”

“How could a loyalty oath make him do something against his will?” a Wizengamot member asked. “It’s not the imperious curse.”

“No, not normally. But the one created by a dark lord in 1532? That one acts almost exactly like the imperious curse,” Snape said.

“That one is also illegal.”

“Do you think I cared? My best friend’s life was in danger, and it was my fault. I would have done anything to insure she lived and that bastard just let her die!” Snape began sobbing.

“I can’t, in good conscious, suggest Azkaban for this man. Can you?” Croaker asked the other Wizengamot members. “But neither can I allow him to leave without a punishment of some sort. I propose that we place Mr. Snape on probation for five years, and send him to St. Mungo’s to brew potions on their behalf. All in favor?”

Croaker looked at the parchment in front of him. “The motion passes, 75-29. Mr. Snape, I hope not to see you in here again.”

Snape was led away, still sobbing.

“With what we have learned today, I must ask for Sirius Black to be brought before us. Aurors, retrieve him from Azkaban immediately.”

* * *

“She’s gone boss,” an auror said. “Looks like she packed in a hurry. Her house was a mess."

Amelia cursed. “Put out a warrant for her arrest. I want Rita Skeeter found. Preferably _before_ the goblins declare war.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

* * *

Sirius Black was brought into the courtroom. “Am I finally getting my trial? It’s about time!” he said.

“Something along those lines, Mr. Black,” Croaker said. “Will you submit to questioning under Veritaserum?”

“Submit to? Hell, I demand its use. I won’t let any of you accuse me of lying, not after letting me rot in Azkaban for over a decade.”

“May I say, Mr. Black, you look remarkably sane for someone who has spent so much time around dementors,” Augusta said.

“I was innocent,” Sirius said. “I kept that in mind. Since it wasn’t a happy thought, they couldn’t touch it. Ah, finally, the Veritaserum.” Sirius opened his mouth so he could be dosed. “Wonderful, now, I wasn’t the Potter’s Secret Keeper, I definitely didn’t tell old Voldie-whatsit where they were, and I didn’t kill that traitor Pettigrew or any of the muggles that died when he blew up the street. Does that about cover everything?”

“Were you ever or are you now a supporter of the Dark Lord?” Croaker asked.

“Never.”

“Who was the Secret Keeper?” Augusta asked.

“Peter Pettigrew. We should have known he couldn’t be trusted when he transformed into a rat.”

“I’m sorry, a rat? Do you mean to say that Pettigrew was an animagus?”

“Yes. We all were. I’m a dog, Pettigrew was a rat, and James was a stag.”

“There is a fine and a short stay in Azkaban for being unregistered, but I believe we can claim time already served for that,” Croaker said. “Er, Arthur, what is it?”

Arthur Weasley, in the visitor’s gallery, had stood up, and was pale. “An animagus – their animal form shares traits with their human form, yes? So if Peter Pettigrew cut off his finger and transformed…?”

“Then his rat form would be missing a toe on one of his front paws,” Croaker said. “Why?”

“All they found of Pettigrew was his finger. A few days later, my son Percy found a rat missing a toe, and asked to keep it. It didn’t even occur to me that rats only live for a few years, even magical ones. That same rat is the pet of my son Ron now.”

“If Pettigrew did escape the blast, it’s certainly possible that the rat is him,” Croaker said. “Aurors will accompany you to your home. If it’s just a regular rat, no harm no foul, but if it is Pettigrew, well, better safe than sorry, especially if he’s slept in a room with one or more of your children.”

Arthur nodded, before following an auror out of the room.

“If it is Pettigrew,” Sirius called after them, “I’ll pay for a new pet for your boy!” Several people gave him strange looks. “What? If it’s Pettigrew, it’s technically my fault the boy’s out a pet, innit?”

“Well now, Mr. Black, with the evidence shown today, all we can do, is set you free. As you were never convicted, I can’t give you a pardon, but I will release a statement, assuring the public that you were framed and are safe to be around. It might behoove you to go straight to St. Mungo’s and stay there for a few days until the information has spread around. And Mr. Black? I expect you to register your animagus form within the month.”

Croaker banged the gavel, “Meeting adjourned.”

* * *

Arthur led the two aurors – Hestia Jones and Gawain Robards – up his front walkway to his house.

“Hello the house,” he called out.

“Arthur? You’re home early. Is everything alright?” Molly asked.

“Yes, yes, everything is fine. These are Aurors Jones and Robards. Where’s Scabbers?”

“Ron’s rat? Well, I don’t know what two aurors want with a common house rat, but he’s upstairs I believe. Hardly ever leaves Ron’s room during the summer.”

“Up the stairs, beneath the attic,” Arthur said.

“We’ll go up and have a look,” Jones said. “If it is just a rat, we’ll, of course, apologize for wasting your time.” The two aurors headed upstairs.

“Arthur, what’s going on? What do they mean ‘if Scabbers is just a rat’? What else would he be?”

“We think he might be an animagus,” Arthur told her.

“An animagus? Near my babies?”

“There’s more Mollywobbles. There’s a strong possibility, that if Scabbers is an animagus, that he is Peter Pettigrew, the real Secret Keeper for the Potters.”

Molly gasped. Arthur opened his mouth, to say something comforting, when spellfire erupted upstairs.

“Oh, no, my babies,” Molly said, rushing upstairs, with Arthur right behind her.


	5. 04: The Misfortune of the Weasleys

Percy, Ginny, Fred and George all stood in their doorways, looking up the stairs in surprise.

“In your rooms now and lock the door!” Arthur yelled as he and Molly ran past them and up the stairs.

A terrified Pettigrew came running towards them, looking over his shoulder. Not paying attention to an angry mother was a mistake he would never make again. Molly screamed out, “Deprimo!” and Pettigrew went flying through a window, landing on the ground outside with a loud crunch.

Arthur and Molly tore into Ron’s room, to see him and Robards on the floor. Robards was missing an arm, but not bleeding, and the other auror, Jones was casting a stasis spell on Ron.”

“Oh Ronnie,” Molly said, kneeling next to his prone form. “What happened?”

“I’ll go call for more aurors,” Arthur said.

* * *

Ron looked up when someone knocked on his doorframe. He saw two people he had never seen before.

“Who are you?” Ron asked.

“My name is Gawain, this is Hestia. We’re aurors.”

“Are you really!? Cool. Wait, how come you’re in my room? Is it cause of the stone thing from last year?”

“No, I don’t believe so,” Hestia said, “but why don’t you tell me about it anyway?”

“Well, first was the cerbus, I think Hermione called it – a huge three-headed dog.”

“Ah, a cerberus,” Gawain said. “Is this your pet?” He gestured to Scabbers, who was laying on the bed.

“Yeah, that’s Scabbers, anyway, after the cerberus was some plant stuff that tried to strangle us.”

“Us?” Hestia asked.

“Yeah, Me, Hermione, and Harry. And then – Hey, what’re you doing to Scabbers?” But Scabbers was already gone, and in his place was Peter Pettigrew.

“Hello Pettigrew,” Gawain said. “You’re going to have to come with us.”

Pettigrew didn’t bother replying. “Diffindo!” he suddenly cast the severing charm at Gawain. Being in such close range, there was no time for the auror to dodge the spell or cast a shield, and his arm was severed from his shoulder. Pettigrew cast two more spells, both silently, a banishing spell, sending Hestia crashing into Ron’s dresser, and then a bright teal spell at Ron, before running out of the room.

Gawain cast a spell to stop himself from bleeding out, as Hestia moved to check on Ron. Pettigrew went flying past the doorway and through a window seconds before Ron’s parents entered the room.

* * *

After putting in the floo call for more aurors, Arthur went outside to find Pettigrew. Instead, all he found was some blood and a lot of broken glass. Obviously Pettigrew had used a few healing charms before either apparating away or turning into his rat form and escaping.

“Damn,” Arthur said. He returned to the house just in time to see an unconscious Ron being floated down the stairs.

“Pettigrew hit him with a spell I’ve never seen before,” Jones said. “A silent casting. We’re going to take Ron to St. Mungo’s with us.” Robards followed behind her, carrying his severed arm in his other hand. Molly was behind them, crying at Ron’s state.

“You’re house will probably remain a crime scene for a little while,” he said. “You should gather your other children and find a place to stay.”

“Molly,” Arthur said. “Take the kids over to Xeno’s place, see if he can put them up for a little while. I’ll go with Ron to the hospital. You can join me there later.”

Molly sniffled and nodded, turning to go back up the stairs.

“He’ll be alright,” Jones said. “St. Mungo’s almost always finds the cause.”

“Yes,” Arthur said. “Almost always.”

* * *

“Good afternoon Mr. Black,” Poppy said.

“Madam Pomfrey!” Sirius said. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Oh, I thought you’d like to see a certain someone again.” Poppy moved aside, allowing Sirius to see who was behind her.

“Harry!”

“Hullo Mr. Black.”

“No, no, none of that. Mr. Black makes me sound old when you say it, and I’m in the prime of my life I’ll have you know. Now, get over here and give your godfather a hug. I haven’t seen you in years. I was supposed to take you in when your parent’s died, but…” Sirius trailed off.

Harry came forward and hugged him, “I know. Dumbledore made sure you would be locked up in prison without a trial. Madam Pomfrey told me.”

“I’ve had him for the past few days,” Poppy said. “Ever since we claimed sanctuary with the goblins.”

“What!? What for?”

“Harry’s previous guardians were…unkind.” Poppy didn’t want to say anymore, because Sirius was rather hotheaded, and prone to acting before he thought. “And Dumbledore was casting memory spells on me to keep me from remembering his injuries.”

“That bastard!”

“Language!” Poppy said. “Anyway, there is _another_ reason we are here today. Go on, Harry, tell him.”

“Madam Pomfrey always fixes me up, and yesterday she made all my scars disappear, well except this one,” Harry said, gesturing to his forehead, “but all the others and she fixed all my bones that had healed wrong before and it was really really cool and now I wanna be a healer.”

“Did you breathe at all during that?” Sirius asked, bemused.

“Mr. Potter wants to be a healer,” Poppy said.

“Ah. Healers are only made through apprenticeships though, right?”

“Yes, which is why he needs your permission. You are his legal guardian, now that you’re free. I’ve already agreed to take him on, if he’ll have me.”

“Oh definitely,” Harry said.

“Well, I don’t see how I could say no, if this is what you really want Harry. Do you have the necessary paperwork yet?”

“I do,” Poppy said, digging into her purse. “It’s here somewhere.”

“Ginny?” Harry asked, having seen her go by the door. She poked her head into the room, and seconds later Harry had his arms full of a crying redhead.

“Oh, Harry, it’s horrible! Ron’s been attacked and they can’t fix him!”

“What? What do you mean attacked?”

“His rat was really a person, and he cast some sort of spell on Ron and no one can wake him up.”

“Pettigrew,” Sirius growled.

“The Marauders made several of their spells, didn’t they?” Poppy asked.

“We did. He might not have used one of them, but I’m perfectly willing to see if he did.”

“Would you?” Ginny said. She began pulling Harry and Sirius towards the door. “Oh, quickly. You must, you must!”

* * *

“Mr. Black, you should be resting!” the healer said.

“Pettigrew and I were friends in school, along with James and Remus. We made a lot of our own spells. It’s possible Pettigrew might have used one of them on your patient here.”

“Truly? Well, nothing we’ve been able to do for him has helped. If you could do anything, I’m sure the family would be much obliged.”

“There’s no guarantee, but I’ll try everything I know.”

A half-hour later Sirius shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve tried everything I could think of.”

“That’s alright Sirius,” Arthur said. “You tried your best and even the healers haven’t found anything yet.”

“Arthur,” Amelia said from the doorway. “We need to talk.”

“That’s my diary!” Ginny said.

Amelia knelt down in front of her, “Do you remember where you got it from?”

“Diagon Alley. I found it in my transfiguration book when we got home. I thought Mum or Dad had bought it for me.”

Amelia turned to Arthur and Molly, who both shook their heads. Arthur added, “We wouldn’t have been able to afford a diary, not with all of Lockhart’s books required for every year.”

“Wait, wasn’t the transfiguration book the one Malfoy’s dad picked up?” Fred asked.

“It was,” Percy said. “He began mocking our, er, lack of monetary assets and then he and Dad got into a fight.”

“We’ll go see him later, but right now,” Amelia turned back to Ginny. “I need you to think very carefully and tell me the truth, okay?”

“Okay,” Ginny nodded.

“Have you written in the diary, yet?” Ginny nodded again. “Okay, did the diary write back?”

Ginny nodded once more, “Oh yes, Tom’s very nice.”

“Tom?”

“The boy in the diary. He’s been talking with me since I began writing in the diary.”

“Oh Ginny,” Arthur said. “How many times have I told you not to trust anything if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.”

“But, but Tom’s my friend,” Ginny said, lip quivering.

“We’ll leave you to it,” Sirius said, placing his hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Besides, I have a bit of paperwork to fill out, don’t I?”

Harry nodded, “I’m going to become an awesome healer, and then I’ll figure out what’s wrong with Ron and wake him up.”

“I’m sure you will, Harry,” Sirius said. “I’m sure you will.”

* * *

An arrest warrant would go out for Pettigrew. When no sign of Lucius Malfoy could be found – Amelia suspected one of her aurors may have tipped him off – an arrest warrant went out for him as well. They still hadn’t discovered what, exactly, the diary was, or how the boy named Tom had gotten stuck in it, but considering Malfoy had run, it probably wasn’t anything good.

The aurors had already passed the diary onto the unspeakables. Hopefully, they would figure out what it was, and if young Ginny Weasley would need any extra healing to overcome the diary’s enchantment.


	6. 05: Second Year Begins

Hermione Granger searched up and down the train for her two best friends, Harry and Ron. Unable to find them, she had settled herself into a compartment. Draco Malfoy, upon finding her while looking for Harry, had explained.

“I figured they might keep him at Hogwarts, considering what happened,” Malfoy said.

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“His _relatives_ were abusing him and Dumbledore was using the memory charm on Pomfrey to keep her from reporting it.”

Hermione gasped, “That’s horrible!”

“Dumbledore escaped after Pomfrey discovered the abuse again and ran to the goblins with Potter. Don’t you get the Daily Prophet?”

“No,” Hermione said, shaking her head. “My cousins spend a lot of time at my house during the summer. A daily newspaper delivery with moving pictures on the front page would blow the Statute of Secrecy wide open.”

“Oh,” Malfoy said, frowning. “Then you wouldn’t know about Weasley, either.”

“What? Did something happen to Ron too?”

“His rat was apparently a person, and he was cursed with an unknown spell. He’s still in St. Mungo’s last I heard.”

“Oh no,” Hermione said miserably.

“Don’t worry about it. St. Mungo’s is the best,” Malfoy said, holding out a hand as if to grab her shoulder in a comforting gesture, before he thought better of it. “They’ll figure out what’s wrong with him eventually.”

* * *

“Hermione there you are,” Harry said, when she got to the Gryffindor table.

“Oh, Harry, I just heard about what your relatives did,” Hermione said, pulling him into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“That’s okay. I’m more worried about Ron.”

“So his rat really was a person? Malfoy told me about it.”

“Peter Pettigrew,” Harry said, nodding. “He was the one who told Voldemort where to find my parents.”

“Good evening and welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Augusta Longbottom. As Albus Dumbledore is no longer with us, I have been appointed as the Headmistress. Gilderoy Lockhart and Andromeda Tonks join us this year, as the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions professors. The rest of the announcements will be given after the feast.”

* * *

“Harry, aren’t you coming?” Hermione asked after the feast ended. Harry shook his head.

“I’m staying in a suite of the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey. I’ve accepted an apprenticeship in healing.”

“Oh, wow, that’s awesome.”

“I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Harry.”

“Night Hermione.”

* * *

Hermione entered the hospital wing after breakfast the next morning, but before her first class.

“Is there something I can help you with, Ms. Granger?” Professor Tonks asked.

“I was wondering what it took to become a healer,” Hermione said quickly. “Ron’s still in the hospital, and Harry’s planning on becoming a healer too and-”

“Alright, alright. Well, first thing you need to do is make sure you really want to be a healer,” Professor Tonks. “To be a healer, one needs to apprentice to another healer. It will take most of your free time. I want you to think about it very hard over the course of the day. If, after your last class, you still wish to be a healer, see me, and I will take you to get your parents’ permission for the apprenticeship.”

“Okay,” Hermione nodded.

* * *

Harry and Hermione were walking down the hall to get to their first class – herbology – when Professor Lockhart found them.

“Harry my boy, just who I wanted to see,” Lockhart said, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder. Whatever he planned to say next, Harry wouldn’t find out, seeing as Lockhart was hit in the back with a spell and became stiff as a board.

“Oh my,” Percy said. “Professor Lockhart, how horrible.” Percy looked at them. “Don’t you two have class?” Hermione and Harry nodded and ran off, and Percy turned back to Lockhart. “I didn’t manage to see who cursed you, they ran by me so fast. Did you manage to see them?”

Lockhart remained stiff as a board, having been hit with a body bind, and made a few desperate noises.

“Oh dear me, of course. Finite Incantatem.”

“Thank you, Weatherby.”

“Weasley, sir.”

“Whatever. I was, of course, seconds from undoing that curse myself.” Lockhart struck a pose he thought made him look particularly heroic.

“Of course you were Professor,” Percy said. “Still, perhaps it was fortunate that some hooligans decided to curse you in the back. Grabbing a student like that without their permission could see you fired.”

“I’m on contract,” Lockhart insisted.

“Do you really want to be stuck on contract with Augusta Longbottom as Headmistress and out for your blood?”

“Er, good point.”

“Probably best to keep your hands to yourself. I hear Headmistress Longbottom fancies using old Filch’s chains and whips.” Lockhart whimpered. “Well, have a good day Professor.”

* * *

Later that evening, Monica Granger answered the door to find her daughter and what must be one of her professors standing on the porch.

“Hermione! What on earth are you doing home? Is everything alright?” Monica accepted a hug from Hermione, giving a puzzled look to her Professor.

“My name is Andromeda Tonks. I’ve recently become Hermione’s potions teacher, and please don’t worry. Everything is fine.”

“Oh, thank goodness. Please, come in, come in. I’m Monica. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Water would be fine, but I wouldn’t say no to tea, if you have it.”

“I’ll go ready a pot. Wendell, get down here! Hermione and one of her teachers are here.”

“What!?” Wendell Granger appeared at the stairs almost instantly. If Andromeda didn’t know he was a muggle, she’d have thought he’d apparated. “Hermione darling, what are you doing here?”

“Andromeda Tonks, Hermione’s potions teacher,” Andromeda introduced herself.

“Wendell Granger, pleased to meet you. Is everything alright with Hermione?” He cast a worried glance at his daughter, who beamed at him.

“She’s fine. We’re here to get permission from you for extra study.”

“Ah, extra study, of course,” Monica said, giving Hermione an amused smile. “Because one can never have enough of regular study.”

“Mum, this is important,” Hermione said.

“Of course. Studying is very important. How else does one pass classes?” Wendell said. “But you don’t need extra studying for that my little genius.”

“This wouldn’t be for classes, but rather for a career,” Andromeda explained.

“A career? Already?” Monica asked.

“Most careers in the Wizarding World require an apprenticeship. Not all, of course, but most. Healing is one of the ones that do.”

“Healing? I wasn’t aware you wanted to be a doctor Hermione? Or whatever the magical equivalent is.”

“A healer, mum. And Harry’s doing it too, and we’re going to help Ron get better.”

“Ron? Did something happen to him?”

“I’m afraid young Mr. Weasley was hit with an unknown curse this summer,” Andromeda said. “The healers at St. Mungo’s have done all they can think off, but nothing has helped so far. It’s very rare that the healers can’t fix something.”

“I see. Hermione, you do know that if you become a Healer, you may not be able to help Ron, right?”

“Of course we will. Harry specializes in doing the improbable and the impossible, and even if he couldn’t, no one knows how to research better than me.”

“An apprenticeship requires a parent’s or guardian’s permission. Whomever Hermione apprentices to will become her guardian, at least in the magical world. Poppy and I, that’s the hospital wing matron, would allow her to return home for the summer if she chooses one of us,” Andromeda said.

“And I’d be able to use magic at home, so I can show you what I’ve been learning in my other classes.”

“Are you sure this is what you want, Hermione?” Wendell asked.

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Alright then. You have our permission.”

* * *

The days passed. On Hermione’s birthday, she and Harry were allowed out of school to go celebrate with her parents. By the time Halloween came around, the students, Harry included, had mostly forgotten about Dumbledore and the danger he posed.

After the feast, the students all left the Great Hall, or tried to. A large part of the crowd stopped at the doors. When a girl began screaming the Professors pushed their way to the front of the crowd. Frozen, with looks of horror on their faces, in the middle of the entrance hall were four students – Zacharias Smith – a second year Hufflepuff, Marietta Edgecombe – a third year Ravenclaw, Adrian Pucey – a third year Slytherin, and Kenneth Towler – a fourth year Gryffindor.

“Back into the Great Hall immediately,” Headmistress Longbottom demanded. “Go to the far wall and stay away from the door!” The students obeyed, not wanting to get caught by whatever had gotten those four students.

“Look here,” McGonagall said. “There’s a note. Oh, that bastard!”

“Language Minnie,” Augusta said. “What does it say?”

“ _Unless Potter is given to me, more will suffer_ ,” McGonagall read the note. “And it’s signed by Albus bloody Dumbledore.”

“We’ll contact the Ministry for aurors,” Augusta said. “Poppy, Andromeda, what’s the diagonosis?”

“They’re petrified. They’ll need a mandrake solution,” Poppy said.

“Pomona?”

“Our mandrakes won’t be ready for harvesting until the end of the year,” Sprout said.

“Well, I’m not letting the students stay petrified that long,” Augusta said. “Put the word out to all the magical greenhouses in the world. We need mature mandrakes. Someone, somewhere must have them.”


	7. 06: A Demented Decision

“Hear ye, hear ye,” the bailiff called out. “We open emergency meeting of the august Wizengamot, this 31st day, er, night of October. Chief Warlock, Algernon Maximus Croaker, is presiding over the meeting.”

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Croaker said. He banged his gavel, “I now open this emergency meeting.”

“Why the bloody hell are we here so late?” one member asked. “We had a meeting in three days anyway!”

“Tonight, at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore attacked. Four students were petrified by unknown means.” Noise erupted as everyone began talking at once. “Order! Order! Please, order! Thank you. As of fifteen minutes ago, they are still petrified. Hogwarts’ mandrakes are not mature enough to be harvested yet.”

“I have several in my greenhouse,” one member offered.

“So do I!” another yelled out.

“I am glad that you have offered, but it is currently unnecessary. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang both had mature mandrakes that they sent to Hogwarts as soon as the call for them went out. We are merely waiting for the mandrake solution to finish being brewed. Once that is done, a member of Hogwarts staff will be sent to us to tell us how it happened.”

“What about the security of the students?”

“All of the students have been kept in the Great Hall and are being guarded by most of the Hogwarts staff and several aurors.”

“How do we know it was Dumbledore?”

“He left a note. A ransom, if you will. He demands Harry Potter be given to him or more will suffer, but we will not give in. No child deserves to be served up to a madman on a platter, and that is exactly what Dumbledore is. No sane person would ever put so many children in danger.”

Croaker was prevented from continuing by the doors to the room opening and Sybill Trelawney, the Divination Professor, entering with a terror-filled look on her face.

“I need, I need a seat,” Trelawney said, staggering forward. Someone conjured one for her in the middle of the room. “I was sent because they thought I was the least capable of protecting the students from this threat. I must agree. The sight will not help with this.”

“What threat is that Professor? How did Dumbledore do it? How did he petrify the students?” Croaker asked.

“A basilisk! He has a basilisk!” Pandemonium broke out.

“A basilisk!?” “How could he!?” “But they kill!?” “How did he only make it petrify!?” “My children are at that school!”

“ORDER! ORDER!” Croaker banged his gavel until he had enough quiet to question Trelawney. “Basilisk’s kill with their gaze. How did this one petrify instead?”

“There was one theory, our game keeper Hagrid said, that a very young basilisk might only be capable of petrifying its victims. The basilisk, as the students described it, was very small. It was easily recognizable as a basilisk, but small enough that Dumbledore could carry it in his arms. There’s more.”

“More?”

“He spoke to them before he revealed the basilisk.”

“And what did he say?”

“That they’re deaths would show us he was serious about his claims. He intended that basilisk to kill the children!”

“Azkaban’s too good for the bastard!” one member yelled out.

“A dementor might not find enough soul to kiss!” another yelled.

The debate raged on as to what Dumbledore’s punishment would be. Extra security for Hogwarts wasn’t brought up by the time the meeting disbanded to allow time for cooler heads to prevail.

* * *

“You want to place what around my students!?” Augusta yelled.

“De-dementors,” Fudge squeaked out. Augusta Longbottom was an intimidating woman at the best of times, but when she was angry she was utterly terrifying. “And not near the students, just outside the castle walls to prevent Dumbledore from coming here.”

“Are you mad!? I won’t have it! If you send dementors to the grounds this school Cornelius Fudge, I’ll have your head to wear on my next hat!”

Fudge shuddered. “They won’t be on the grounds, they’ll be outside it, where the Hogwarts Headmistress has no say in where they go. Good day madam.” Fudge scurried to the fireplace and flooed away before Augusta got the chance to strangle him.

* * *

Augusta clinked her glass with her spoon several times to get everyone’s attention. “The Minister of Magic has made the utterly _delightful_ decision to place dementors around Hogwarts.”

Several students, and most of the staff, gasped in horror.

“Is he mad?” McGonagall demanded.

“It is quite likely,” Augusta said. “For those of you who have not heard of dementors before, they are a most foul creature. The normally guard the prison Azkaban, easily claimed to be the worst prison in existence, solely because of these creatures. When they are around, the temperature drops drastically. A wizard or witch caught outside in these temperatures could easily get frostbite, but that is not the worst of it.

“Around a dementor all you can remember are your worst memories. You feel as though you will never be happy again. The dementor feeds on all your happy memories, destroying them if you are around them long enough, and still this is not the worst of it.

“The dementor are capable of something we call the Dementor’s Kiss. This is no teenage make-out attempt, but the dementor’s ability to suck out your very soul. There is no getting it back if a dementor sucks it out. These are the most horrible creatures anyone could ever imagine.”

“Then why are they being placed around a school!?” Percy yelled, standing up. Several other students called out their agreement.

“The Minister, in all his _vaulted intelligence_ , claims it is to keep Dumbledore out and the students safe. He says they will not come onto the school grounds, but I, for one, do not believe him. Dementors are kept on the island prison of Azkaban because they are notoriously hard to control,” Augusta said. “Because of the presence of the dementors, all outdoor classes and activities, such as Herbology and the trips to Hogsmeade are cancelled.”

The students began yelling out in protest, but Augusta held up her hand for quiet.

“I understand this is disappointing, but there is only one defense against a dementor – the Patronus Charm – and very few adult wizards and witches are capable of casting this spell.”

“But we can try to learn it, right?” Harry asked.

“If you made it a condition to go outside the castle doors, it would be a great motivation to learn the spell,” Hermione said. “Not to mention, if the dementors decide to come onto the school grounds, the more people that can cast the Patronus charm the better, right?”

“That is correct,” Augusta said. “And very possible. If enough students could learn this spell, I would be able to rethink the lack of quidditch games. I know it is a staple of education here at Hogwarts. Yes, I think that’s what we should do. Expecto Patronum!”

A silvery bear made of what appeared to be wisps of magic came from her wand. It was soon joined by McGonagall’s cat, Flitwick’s guinea pig, Sprout’s rabbit, and Auror Shacklebolt’s lynx.

“As you can see only three professors, besides myself, are capable of casting a patronus. Auror Shacklebolt?”

“I’m one of only six aurors that can cast it.”

“Six aurors, out of how many?”

“Seventy-eight at last count.”

“You all are, of course, more than welcome to attempt to learn the Patronus Charm, but I don’t wish for you to be disheartened if you fail. As I said before, very few adult wizards and witches are capable of this spell.”

“Expecto Patronum!” several Ravenclaws, along with Hermione and Percy, were already trying it, and getting nothing.

“The key to the Patronus Charm,” Flitwick said, “is a happy memory. The happier the memory, the more corporeal the Patronus. It is why the Patronus Charm repels dementors. It is made up of such a large concentration of happiness that the dementor cannot handle it.”

A few people, Harry included, got wispy clouds.

“What did you think of?” Hermione asked.

“Finding out I didn’t have to go back to the Dursleys ever again,” Harry said. “It’s one of my happier memories.”

“Hmm,” Hermione tilted her head. Then, she leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek. He blushed bright red, ignoring the catcalls and whistles from Fred and George, and cast the Patronus again. It was still only a wispy cloud, but it was much larger, glowing, and almost in the shape of something.”

Taking a cue from Hermione, several girls latched onto their boyfriends. Glowing, wispy clouds filled the Great Hall.

“As you have found out, pleasure is nearly identical to happiness,” Flitwick said, chuckling. “It’s not quite enough to form a corporeal Patronus, but it is certainly enough to get a good cloud going. Several of those clouds together could certainly drive off one dementor, but I don’t think that Headmistress Longbottom will be allowing you to play quidditch with only clouds to protect you.”

The students and staff remained in the Great Hall all day, practicing the charm over and over again.


	8. 07: Quidditch Mayhem

With less than a week before the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch game, every student was spending all of their spare time trying to cast the Patronus Charm. Every day there were larger and brighter glowing clouds floating around the hallways.

Finally, Oliver Wood was the first to cast it properly, a magnificent wispy lion leaping from his wand. Not to be outdone, Marcus Flint was the next, only seconds afterwards, with a large wispy runespoor.

“Our bloody mascots, of course,” George said.

“Language,” Hermione said. “What memories did you use, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Us winning the Quidditch Cup last year,” Flint said, smirking at Oliver.

Oliver glowered at him, saying, “Our Seeker outclassing you last year, winning us every game he played in.”

“Really?” Hermione asked, skeptically.

“Go find your own happy memory brat,” Flint said, waving her off. Before this year, the older Slytherin would have called her a mudblood for sure, but this year the Slytherins had, for some reason, decided to band together with the rest of the houses.

Hermione frowned, and closed her eyes. For a moment, she imagined her and Harry, slightly older, having finally woken Ron up. “Expecto Patronum!” A wispy otter flew out of her wand.

“Well, look at that!” Flitwick exclaimed. “Ms. Granger’s done it! At second year, how amazing!”

“What memory did you use?” Oliver asked.

“Not a memory, but an idea of sorts,” Hermione said, glancing at Harry. “Harry and I were older and-”

“Yeah, I don’t think I want to hear this,” Flint said.

“What? Oh, no no, not _that_ ,” Hermione said, blushing. “No, we were older and had finished our apprenticeships and had managed to heal Ron.”

Fred grinned, clapping her on the back, “If anyone can do it, it’s the two of you for sure.”

Harry nodded, then closed his eyes and imagined the same thing, “Expecto Patronum!” A wispy stag burst out of his wand.

“And now Mr. Potter!” Flitwick exclaimed. “Two second years! Astounding!”

The rest of the students began trying twice as hard as they already were, not wanting to be outdone by two second years. The Weasley’s were next, all imagining Ron’s recovery. Ginny’s horse galloped around Percy’s mongoose, and Fred and George’s foxes.

With now even a first year capable of casting the Patronus Charm, the rest of the students tripled their efforts. Those around the already cast Patronus animals managed it first, feeding off the happy feelings each Patronus gave off.

More and more students managed to cast their own corporeal Patronus as the Patronus animals made rounds around the Great Hall.

“Amazing,” McGonagall said.

“Well, if they manage to keep casting them over the course of the week, then I can see no reason why they can’t play quidditch at least,” Augusta said. “Classes, however, will remain inside the castle. Better safe than sorry.”

* * *

“Ah, Harry my boy,” Lockhart said, making a beeline for him.

“Oh, uh, hello Professor Lockhart. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I just wanted to talk to you abou-” Lockhart was cut off mid-sentence thanks to another body-bind.

“Oh no, Professor Lockhart? Again?” Percy Weasley asked. “Oh, I must have just missed whoever cast that. Did you see them? Harry, why don’t you run off to class now?”

“Yeah,” Ginny said later when Harry mentioned it, “Fred and George have been following me around and cursing anyone who bothers me. Not that many have, once word of what they did to the first few got out.”

“You’d think a prefect would know better,” Hermione said.

“They’re just feeling overprotective after what happened to Ron,” Ginny said. “They’ll calm down eventually – next year or the year after if we’re lucky. And in the meantime, who better to have in your corner than a prefect and a pair of pranksters, except, of course, for a boy who jumps on the backs of trolls.”

“It was one troll,” Harry said, groaning, “and how do you even know about that?”

“Ron told me, before, well, you know.”

* * *

A week after Halloween, the Headmistress decided that since most of the students were capable of casting the Patronus, a feat she had written about to the parents of each successful student, that the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch game would be allowed to go on.

The entire student body exploded into cheers at the announcement, with Oliver Wood the loudest of them all. The game began at 11 am, with several Patronus animals already patrolling around the quidditch pitch.

“Welcome to the first Quidditch Game of the year!” Lee Jordan announced. “Made possible by the fact that the students of Hogwarts are all awesome enough to cast the Patronus Charm!” The students all cheered, as loudly as they did earlier in the morning when the game was announced.

“Without further ado, here are your teams – the Slytherin team and the Gryffindor team!” Both teams received a lot of cheering, helped out by the less aggressive attitudes of the Slytherins this year. “There’s Hooch…and there goes the quaffle! Johnson of Gryffindor gets it, passes it to Bell, Bell passes to – no, Vaisey steals it!”

The Slytherin section began cheering.

“Sneaky, sneaky. He passes it over to Urquhart who attempts a goal and…Wood blocks it!”

The Gryffindor section began cheering.

“Wood throws it to Bell, who passes to Johnson, who passes to Spinnet and – DEMENTORS!”

Students began screaming, pointing above them, where the dementors had begun to swarm, the occasional one floating lower, only to be chased back into the crowd by a Patronus.

“Attention all students,” McGonagall said, grabbing the microphone from Jordan. “Do not panic. I repeat, do not panic! You all earned the right to come out here by casting the Patronus charm, cast them now!”

The crowd of dementors began to get lower and lower, almost right on top of the goal posts. The students all cast the Patronus charms, but most failed due to the proximity of the dementors. Harry began to hear a woman screaming.

“Expecto Patronum!” he called out, the stag galloping from his wand towards the dementors, before his eyes rolled back and he passed out. With everyone’s eyes on the dementors, only a few students saw Harry begin to fall.

The Slytherin chaser Vaisey was one of them. He dived and managed to grab on to Harry, but didn’t manage to pull up completely in time. The both hit the ground with a crunch, breaking Vaisey’s leg and Harry’s arm.

“Expecto Patronum!” Vaisey cast. A large tiger came out of his wand and crouched protectively over the two of them, warding off any dementors that came close.

The bludgers continued to weave around the field, bumping into dementors and students alike. One struck Wood in the side, breaking two of his ribs. The other smacked into Draco’s head, knocking him unconscious and off his broom.

One of the Weasley twins managed to catch him before he hit the ground, and flew him down to Harry and Vaisey where Madam Pomfrey was already headed, while the other followed, keeping his Patronus going. A few more animals joined the strange-looking pack taking on the dementors. Hermione’s otter was especially vicious and continuously tried to bite the faces of the dementors.

“Have no fear,” Lockhart said. “I can have you fixed up in a jiffy.”

“Don’t you dare!” Oliver yelled, having landed just after the Weasley twins.

“Nonsense. I’m perfectly capable,” Lockhart said, and before any more objections could be made, he waved his wand, causing all the broken bones to vanish. This wasn’t as big of a problem for Oliver, Vaisey, or Harry, but for Draco’s cracked skull it was the worst thing that could ever happen.

“Well, at least they’re not broken any more,” Lockhart said, backing up. Fred, George, and Oliver all cast curses at Lockhart.

“Find Pomfrey and Tonks and get them here ASAP!” Oliver told the twins, kicking the downed Lockhart in the side. “I’ll make sure this idiot doesn’t do any more damage.”

“Kick him once more for me,” Vaisey said. “I’d do it myself by he vanished the bones in my leg.” Oliver obligingly kicked Lockhart once more as hard as he could.

“And you know what, just for Malfoy,” Oliver said, before kicking Lockhart in the head several times.

“Here here,” Vaisey said. “Might as well break his arm for Potter while you’re at it. Bombarda or Reducto might be a little strong.” But Oliver didn’t bother with spells, taking a great leap into the air and landing on Lockhart’s arm.

“I didn’t hear a crunch, but that’ll probably hurt like a bitch for weeks.”

“What on earth happened to Professor Lockhart?” Pomfrey asked.

“He fell,” Vaisey said deadpan. “He vanished our bones.”

“You should check Malfoy first,” Oliver said. Pomfrey rushed over.

“Dear Merlin, his skull is gone!”

“That was him!” Vaisey and Oliver said together, pointing at Lockhart.

“He said he’d take care of our broken bones, and then decided to vanish him instead.”

“Ugh. Stupid man. Andromeda, make me a portkey to St. Mungo’s. Malfoy’s going to need special treatment. And someone kick that twit between the legs so he doesn’t spread his stupidity.”

Oliver looked uncomfortable at the thought of kicking another man, even one as deserving as Lockhart, between the legs. Hermione, who had begun her journey to Harry’s side as soon as he and Vaisey had crash-landed, did it for him.

“ _That_ was a crunch,” Vaisey said.

“I’d feel sorry for the guy, but he totally deserved that,” Oliver added. Vaisey nodded as Hermione kicked Lockhart again.


	9. 08: Losses

The day after the frightful experience during the quidditch match saw most of the students huddled together in the Great Hall. The older students were on the outer edges, with all the younger students clustered in the middle.

“Yesterday was one of the most wonderful occasions of teamwork I have ever seen between the four houses,” Augusta addressed them. “Unfortunately, we did suffer a few losses. Roger Davies of Ravenclaw, Alan Summerby and Jason Stebbins of Hufflepuff, Miles Bletchley of Slytherin, and Patricia Stimpson and Cormac McLaggen of Gryffindor were all kissed by the dementors. Please, if you will, a moment of silence for their loss.”

There wasn’t a sound in the hall, save for the sobbing of a few close friends of those lost.

“In addition, Luna Lovegood of Ravenclaw and Megan Jones and Wayne Hopkins of Hufflepuff have been transferred temporarily to St. Mungo’s. They are likely to be back with us within the week. Draco Malfoy of Slytherin, however, was injured far more gravely. We do not know yet whether he will even recover.”

Pansy Parkinson burst into tears. The other Slytherin first years gathered around her to comfort her.

“Gilderoy Lockhart has been arrested by the aurors due to his attack on Mr. Malfoy, as well as Thomas Vaisey, also of Slytherin, and Oliver Wood and Harry Potter of Gryffindor. His trial date depends on when he recovers his memory, as he appears to have suffered some sort of fall just after his attack.”

Vaisey waited until no one was looking before giving Oliver two thumbs up. Oliver returned them.

“The dementors have, of course, been returned to Azkaban by order of the Wizengamot. There is also a possibility of pending charges for Minister Fudge, for placing them here in the first place.”

“Good riddance,” Hermione said.

“They ought to lock him in with a bloody dementor,” Flint said.

“Language,” Hermione muttered. “Surely a Slytherin can do better than ‘bloody’?”

“With this incident, I’m afraid I must again cancel the remaining quidditch matches, as well as all trips outside the castle.” None of the students protested. “Even with the dementors gone, Albus Dumbledore is still out there, and I would much rather have you all where I can see you.”

* * *

_**Students of Hogwarts Repel Dementor Attack!** _

_**Teacher Fired and Arrested in Aftermath** _

 

_In the aftermath of Dumbledore’s attack on Halloween, Minister Fudge ordered dementors to be placed at the castle. Thankfully, Headmistress Longbottom refused to have the dementors on Hogwarts land, rightfully fearing that they would attack the students. Fudge, instead, ordered them around the castle._

_Headmistress Longbottom cancelled all outdoor classes and activities until the students learned the Patronus Charm. Rather than being a nearly impossible feat, the added motivation to play quidditch helped the students in their attempts._

_When the dementors did, eventually, attack during the next quidditch game, almost every student produced a corporeal Patronus to beat the horde of dementors back! But all was not well. Several students, mostly older ones that had shoved younger students out of the dementors’ paths, were kissed by the creatures. Their names were withheld at the request of their families._

_During the attack, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Gilderoy Lockhart, attacked several Quidditch players that had already been injured, either by uncontrolled bludgers, or crash landing their brooms. One student is likely to remain in St. Mungo’s for the remainder of the school year, at least._

_Lockhart, now claiming to suffer memory problems, has been fired and arrested by aurors. His trial date is pending, depending on when St. Mungo’s healers say he will recover. Charges have not yet been brought against Minister Fudge, but are likely due to the loss and injury of so many students._

_We will bring you more information as it develops._

_-Jacintha McKinnon, Daily Prophet_

 

Albus Dumbledore put down the paper, fetched from the trash a few days after its publication. He was rather doubtful on the story of the students being able to cast the Patronus Charm. He himself had been nearly thirty when he first managed to cast it.

He sighed. So many students lost to the stupidity of two men and, of course, the old woman who allowed the students out to play their silly little sport. He would need to do some reconnaissance, to make sure Potter wasn’t one of the ones kissed or the one in St. Mungo’s.

Hogwarts was about to suffer even more losses, and they didn’t even know it. He still wasn’t sure why the paper hadn’t made mention of the students who had died earlier in the year on Halloween. Two of them were purebloods, and one of the others was a half-blood with a mother working for the Ministry. Perhaps it was in an issue he missed. He had missed quite a few of them while on the run, since he had to rummage around in the trash for them. Most wizards and witches vanished them when they were through with it.

* * *

The next week passed by slowly, with all of Hogwarts in a dreary depression. The return of Luna, Wayne, and Megan was the happiest time of the week, celebrated by all students in the Great Hall. Some of the Ravenclaw students had even come up to apologize for the way they had been treating Luna before the horrific quidditch game.

Terror and depression quickly returned the morning after, when four more students were found in the Entrance Hall. Luna and Wayne were both petrified, as were Lily Moon – a second year Slytherin, and Colin Creevey – a first year Gryffindor.

“Another note,” McGonagall said.

“Does it say anything new?” Augusta asked.

“No. It’s the same as before.”

“Burn it. I’ll go find Andromeda, and see about more of the mandrake solution being made. Please insure all students enter the Great Hall and remain there. Classes will be cancelled for today.”

* * *

The students and staff spent all day and all night in the Great Hall, even the four students that had been petrified. Professor Tonks brewed the potion in one of the corners of the room, allowing both N.E.W.T. and O.W.L. students to watch.

After the four petrified students had been revived, most of the students in the hall began crying in relief.

“He wanted to know about Harry Potter,” Luna said. “To know if he had been one of the ones kissed. Why can’t he just leave Harry alone?”

“Because he’s a very sick old man,” Flitwick said, placing a hand on Luna’s shoulder. “He’s been told he knows how to solve all our problems so often, he began to believe it. And Harry appears to be the answer to one of those problems, whatever it may be. At least, according to Dumbledore.”

“That’s stupid!” Luna said. “He’s stupid.”

* * *

The students remained in the Great Hall for the next several weeks. The staff set up private bathrooms in the anteroom, expanding the room until there were enough bathrooms for everyone. Classes resumed, but inside the Great Hall, and all the students were taught together.

Professor Sprout taught them all a pruning spell. “It won’t stop Dumbledore if you use it on him, but it may smart enough to make him pause.”

Gawain Robards, who had been installed as the official Defense teacher after Lockhart’s firing, had taken to teaching enthusiastically. With his arm recently attached, he would have been deskbound if not for the position at Hogwarts.

The other aurors and goblins that were permanently posted at Hogwarts after the second attack also taught the students several things. The aurors taught mostly spells, but the goblins taught them how to make a makeshift weapon in varying amounts of time.

“Never underestimate the effect of a simple spell,” Flitwick said, teaching them several basic charms, like a polka dot spell, and a glitter charm. “That glitter charm won me two championships. Of course, they banned it in official play after that – too hard to clean up; the vanishing and cleaning charms always seemed to miss some of the glitter.”

Shortly after that lesson, the staff at Hogwarts were heartened to hear the first laughter in some time, as students fired different colors at each other.

Even Professor McGonagall had taught them how to transfigure single body parts as a distraction. “There is nothing more distracting than your nose suddenly becoming that of an elephant, or your legs turning into fish fins.” Fred and George especially paid attention to those lessons.

Professor Tonks had her fifth, sixth, and seventh year students learning how to brew several potions, like stink bombs for distractions, the magical version of pepper spray, and a sneezing solution which would cause the victim to sneeze uncontrollably until given the cure.

“Never be afraid to run away,” Professor Robards told them. “There is no cowardice in living to fight another day, especially if you are very much outclassed by your opponent. That said, sometimes running is not an option. And when that happens, I want you to ask yourself one simple question? Is my opponent putting my life in danger? If that answer is yes, you may use these spells.” He then taught them several blasting and cutting charms.

If Dumbledore decided to make another attack, he would be in for a big surprise. The students at Hogwarts were now prepared for him.


	10. 09: The Phoenix's End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you are going to hate me after this.

“Er, the Headmistress asked for me,” Harry told the gargoyle. The gargoyle jumped aside. He ascended the stairs, and knocked on the door to the Headmistress’ office.

“Enter,” Augusta said. Harry did. Apart from the Headmistress, there was also Madam Pomfrey and a man wearing a hooded robe. “Mr. Potter, please take a seat. Would you like a cookie? I’m partial to the raisin ones myself, but my grandson likes the chocolate chip.”

“No thank you.”

“As you wish. Now, as to the reason we called you here. I’ll let Mister Smith explain.”

“This is our horcrux detector,” Mister Smith said, holding out a strange device. “It helps us track them down. It goes ding when it finds one.”

“What’s a horcrux?”

“A soul piece. It was a tricky thing to make it react to only a soul piece rather than a whole soul.”

“But what does this have to do with me?”

Mister Smith held the device to Harry’s forehead. It dinged.

“It dinged,” Harry said. “Does that mean I’m a horcrux?”

“Yes and no,” Mister Smith said. “A living being cannot be a horcrux. The dead tissue in your scar, however, can be.”

“How do you get it out? And whose soul piece is it? Is it mine?”

“In reverse order: No, it’s not yours; it belongs to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named; and very, very carefully.”

Harry’s eyes widened in horror. “How quickly can it be gotten out?”

“It can be done today, if you like, but it will be extremely painful, which is why your healer has insisted on coming along.”

“C-can Hermione come too?”

“His best friend,” Poppy explained. “Andromeda’s apprentice.”

“I don’t see why not, especially if her presence would bring you comfort.”

“It would,” Harry said.

* * *

Harry held tightly onto Hermione’s hand, as he laid on the floor, with his head in the middle of a ritual circle.

“This, Mr. Potter, is going to hurt very badly,” Mister Smith said.

“Yes sir, you said that before.”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Harry took a deep breath, one last glance at Hermione, and then nodded, “I’m ready.”

“Alright, here we go.”

Almost immediately his scar began to hurt like it had last year around Voldemort. Harry hissed in pain. The pain slowly grew worse and worse, until finally it stopped altogether.

“Is it over?” Harry croaked. “What happened to my voice?”

“It’s over, Mr. Potter,” Mister Smith said.

“You were screaming,” Hermione said, hugging him tightly.

“Let me check him dear, and then you can go right back to hugging him,” Pomfrey said.

* * *

Harry spent the next two weeks never straying far from Pomfrey’s side, as she made random checks on his health. With no sign of Dumbledore – the aurors and goblins having searched the school top to bottom – students were released from the Great Hall to return to their dorm rooms and normal classrooms (save for Herbology and Creatures which still took place inside).

The older students were normally late for their classes, but the teachers didn’t mind, since they were escorting the younger students to classes. It was a time of complete inter-House unity for Hogwarts. Three days before the Hogwarts Express left to take the students home for Winter Break, a great blizzard had covered the grounds in snow.

The teachers had gathered all the students outside for a short time to enjoy the snow, with the older students helping to keep watch over the younger ones. That night, Dumbledore entered the castle, carrying the basilisk in his arms, searching for his next victims.

Percy Weasley, Penelope Clearwater, Cedric Diggory, and Terrance Higgs were all prefects. The prefects, rather than patrolling in pairs, now patrolled in groups of four, with an auror/goblin escort not far behind them.

Dumbledore found them in the hallways, as he had found the others before moving them to the Entrance Hall once petrified, and prepared to take the blindfold off his basilisk. But he was not facing scared third years and below. Cedric and Terrance were fifth years, and Percy and Penelope were sixth years, and all of the prefects had gotten extra training from the aurors and goblins, on top of what had already been taught to the students of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore didn’t stand a chance.

Before he even got his hand to the blindfold on the basilisk’s eyes, a spell cast by Terrance hit him in the face. His nose began to grow. Another spell, cast by Cedric, dislocated and then relocated his fingers in the opposite direction. Percy’s spell caused his hair and beard to start wrapping around his head and face, with only Dumbledore’s still growing nose being seen. Penelope’s spell caused him to drop the basilisk, hit his knees, grab his crotch, and fall over in the fetal position.

“Penelope, really?” Percy said. “Was that really necessary?”

Before Penelope could answer, the prefect’s auror and goblin escort caught up to them.

“There you are you bastard,” Shacklebolt said. “Tired of picking on little kids and decided to try your hand at the older ones, huh?” Shacklebolt put magic-suppressing handcuffs on him. “Up you get.”

“What happened to him? Why is he walking like that?” an auror asked, after watching Shacklebolt make Dumbledore go forward a few steps.

“Penelope happened,” Percy said. Penelope gave a nasty grin that the goblins in the group congratulated her on.

* * *

Harry wasn’t sure why he woke up, or why he felt the need to go for a walk. He knew it was dangerous with Dumbledore still about, but something important was calling out to him. He began running towards the feeling, passing McGonagall along the way.

“Mr. Potter!? What on earth are you doing out of bed? Mr. Potter? Come back here!” McGonagall began sprinting after him.

“ _He’s been defeated finally. Help me!_ ” Harry heard. He rounded the corner of the corridor to see the aurors and goblins about to put what could only be a basilisk in a large cage.

“Wait!” Harry said.

“Mr. Potter, what is the meaning of this?” McGonagall demanded.

“ _Help me!_ ” Harry heard the basilisk say. “ _Quickly! Undo the transfiguration! Please!_ ”

“Professor Mcgonagall,” Harry said. “How do you undo a transfiguration if you don’t know what the object used to be before?”

“You either wait for it to wear off, or cast Finite Incantatem, and hope you’re stronger than the person that cast the transfiguration. Why?”

“Because, I don’t think that’s an actual basilisk. Finite Incantatem!” Harry put as much of his magic as he could behind the spell. Nothing happened.

“Mr. Potter, even if that was a transfigured basilisk, Albus Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards in the world.”

“Harry, are you sure?” Percy asked.

“Very sure.”

“Alright then,” Percy said, pointing his wand at the basilisk. The other three prefects joined him, and then the aurors. Harry nodded, and pointed his wand back at the basilisk.

“Well, I’d like to see that man beat all of us,” McGonagall said, also pointing her wand at the basilisk. “On three. One. Two. Three!”

“ **FINITE INCANTATUM!** ”

The basilisk twisted around, shrinking in length. Its colors went from black and green to red and gold, and its scales were replaced with feathers.

“Dear Merlin,” McGonagall breathed.

“Fawkes,” Harry cried out. Fawkes gave a distressed trill.

“He doesn’t look so good,” Percy said.

“To the Great Hall with him Potter,” McGonagall said. “I’ll send Hagrid there as well. You four, gather the other students in the Great Hall as well. I want them where I can see them.”

* * *

“He doesn’t look so good,” Hermione said, unknowingly echoing Percy.

“He really doesn’t,” Harry said. Hagrid was doing his best to help Fawkes, trying to feed him bits of fruit or make him drink some apple juice – the phoenix’s favorite drink – but Fawkes refused everything.

“Who would do this to a phoenix?” Vaisey asked.

“Dumbledore, that’s who.”

With one final trill, Fawkes went limp. Some students let out a gasp, others started to cry.

“Don’t phoenixes come back though?” Colin asked.

“Yes, usually Fawkes would have burst into flames, and we would see a small baby phoenix in the ashes. But this time is different,” McGonagall explained. “Phoenixes are beings of pure light. They are only meant to help heal people. Dumbledore transfigured Fawkes into a basilisk – a dark creature – and forced him to attack students. Phoenixes are not meant to harm people. It hurts them very badly when they do, which is why Fawkes has passed on.”

“That bastard Dumbledore has a lot to pay for,” Harry said. Hermione rested her head on Harry’s shoulder and didn’t bother to reprimand him for his language.

The goblins present all took off their helmets and held them over their hearts.

“A good creature has passed on prematurely,” one of them said.

Another turned to the aurors and said, “If your Ministry doesn’t end the bastard, we’ll be hunting him down.”

“I’ll be right there with you if they don’t,” one auror said. The other aurors agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really very sorry Fawkes. Blame Dumbledore.


	11. 10: The Trial of Albus Dumbledore

“Hear ye, hear ye,” the bailiff called out. “We open emergency meeting of the august Wizengamot, this 19th day of December. Chief Warlock, Algernon Maximus Croaker, is presiding over the meeting.”

No one bothered to ask why they were called into an emergency meeting. The answer was sitting in chains in a chair in the middle of the room.

“Albus Dumbledore, finally caught,” Croaker said. “After attempting to attach several older students, who used spells taught to them recently by their professors to keep him distracted long enough for our aurors and the goblin warriors to arrive on scene.”

Dumbledore made motions as if to talk, but no sound came out.

“Madam Director Bones, kindly remove the silencing spell.” Amelia did so.

“What I did was for the Greater Good!” was the first thing out of Dumbledore’s mouth.

“That is to be decided,” Croaker said. “Dose him.” Dumbledore resisted but several aurors grabbed him, one forcing his mouth open so the Court Potions Master could dose him with Veritaserum. “Amelia, you may begin.”

“Are you Albus Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts?”

“Yes.”

“Did you place Harry Potter in an abusive home?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I needed him willing to sacrifice his life for the Greater Good. If he had any self-esteem, such an event would be unlikely.”

“Why would Harry Potter have to sacrifice his life?”

“To finish off Voldemort of course.” There were several gasps and most of the Wizengamot was looking at him like he was crazy.

“Voldemort is dead, last I checked.”

“Voldemort may be without a body, but he survived that night. It is only a matter of time before he returns. You don’t understand what he did to survive, only I do.”

“He made horcruxes,” Amelia said. “We know.”

“What? But how?”

“Horcruxes, by the way,” Amelia addressed the Wizengamot, “are containers for a piece of your soul. A murder splinters off a bit of your soul and a dark ritual binds it to an object. One was found by the aurors last summer. The unspeakables finally figured out what it was, how to track down the rest, and destroyed them all.”

“Not all of them, they couldn’t have. I know of at least one that’s left.”

“If you’re talking about that vile thing that was hiding in Mr. Potter’s scar – we got that too.”

“What? Impossible. You must tell me how!”

“I’m sorry Albus. I’m afraid I must keep that information from you. For the Greater Good, you understand.” Several Wizengamot members laughed. Amelia continued her questioning, “Did you place multiple memory charms on Poppy Pomfrey, to prevent her from reporting the abuse of Harry Potter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t let him be taken from his relatives. He had to remain there for the Greater Good.”

“Yes, so that he would sacrifice his life, as you said earlier. Did you charm the hospital wing to prevent Poppy Pomfrey from casting an extended diagnostic charm on every student, just so she wouldn’t cast it on Harry Potter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“She kept casting it on the boy. Every time she’d see him, she’d cast the spell, and then come running to me. Every single time.”

“That’s her job. As it was your job to insure your students’ safety. A job at which you failed.”

Dumbledore remained silent.

“Did you attack four students on Halloween of this year?”

“Yes.”

“Did you attack four more students in mid-November of this year?”

“Yes.”

“Did you attack four more students yesterday?”

“No.”

“Hmm? Ah, that’s right. They handed you your ass, didn’t they. Did you attempt to attack four more students yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you attack, or attempt to attack, all of these students?”

“So that Harry Potter would be delivered to me after Snape failed.”

“Ah, yes, Snape. Did you demand a loyalty oath you knew to be illegal from him in return for saving the life of Lily Potter?”

“Yes.”

“Did you save Lily Potter?”

“No.”

“But Snape had already sworn the oath, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Back to the students you attacked. What did you attack them with?”

“A basilisk.”

“That’s right. A basilisk. Basilisks are known to have a deadly gaze. Did you force all these children to look into the eyes of the basilisk?”

“Yes.”

“Did you mean to petrify them?”

“No.”

“Did you mean to kill them?”

“Yes.” The Wizengamot members all began yelling at Dumbledore.

“Order! Order!” Croaker said, banging the gavel. “Amelia, please continue.”

“Why did you want them dead?”

“So that the others knew I was serious about having Potter handed over to me.”

“Were you aware that they were only petrified?”

“No.”

“You thought your basilisk had killed them?”

“Yes.”

“Quiet down,” Croaker said, when several members began murmuring to each other.

“Why do you think your basilisk only petrified them, instead of killing them?”

“I don’t know.”

“Rubeus Hagrid has a theory – a new theory,” Amelia told the Wizengamot. “You see, young Harry Potter suspected the basilisk was not a basilisk at all. With the help of the four students Dumbledore most recently attacked, Professor McGonagall and several aurors, the reversed the transfiguration on the basilisk. Albus, why don’t you tell us, who was it you had transfigured into the basilisk?”

“Fawkes.”

“Your phoenix, Fawkes.”

“Yes.”

“Are you aware that phoenixes, as beings of light, are not meant to attack innocents, such as the students?”

“Yes.”

“Were you aware that your actions could have led to the permanent death of Fawkes?”

“Yes.”

“Then why? Why did you do it?”

“I needed Harry Potter in my grasp. Nothing else, no one else, matters!”

“Fawkes died last night,” Amelia said, prompting very many horrified gasps from the Wizengamot. “He passed away in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, surrounded by students. He did not come back, like phoenixes normally do.”

“I have one thing left to say, before we take a vote,” Croaker said. “I received this late last night from the Goblin King himself, and I wish to read it today.”

 

_To the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot_

_Or Whomever Shall Be Presiding Over the Trial of Albus Dumbledore_

 

_The joyous news brought to me by my son, who was one of the warriors stationed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that Albus Dumbledore had been caught was much dampened by the sad news of the loss of the phoenix known as Fawkes’ life._

_With Dumbledore’s actions having a direct connection to the phoenix’s final death, I can only make one decision. From this day forward Albus Dumbledore is the number one enemy of Gringotts and all the goblins within and outside of Gringotts._

_If you and your Ministry will not deal with him properly, we will, regardless of whether or not it leads to war._

 

_Hoping You Make The Right Decision,_

_Slashgott, King of the Goblins_

 

“As you can see, it is not just our children’s lives on the line, but their future as well. I for one, do not wish for my children to be forced to fight in another goblin war do you? It is quite obvious that Dumbledore is guilty. The only question is on how to punish him? Do we throw him in Azkaban and leave him to the dementors, sentence him to the Dementor’s Kiss, or throw him through the Veil of Death? Please, vote now.”

Croaker watched the parchment as the votes were tallied. The vote was very, very close, “35-35-34. With a tie of 35 votes each, Azkaban and the Dementor’s Kiss. Please vote again, only for those two.” The votes were tallied again, and again the vote was close, “53-51, Azkaban for life. Take him away.”

* * *

All the students of Hogwarts, and most of their families, attended the funeral of Fawkes. Headmistress Longbottom had commissioned the goblin crafters to build them an open tomb, where the students could come for comfort.

Columns rose from the floor, enough of them to hold the roof in place, since there were no walls. The students would need to take a small flight of stairs up to the pedestal sitting in the middle of the tomb. Fawkes was laid to rest just underneath the statue of him wings outstretched, standing on the pedestal. The statue was so lifelike, it was as if Fawkes himself had just landed there.

The goblins did not tell anyone about the other function they built in, but over the years, several students coming to Fawkes’ tomb for comfort would hear the phoenix’s song.

“I think Fawkes would have liked that very much,” Harry said.

“I think so too, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall said. “He was very vain, for a phoenix.”


	12. Epilogue: The Couple-Who-Healed

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, under the tutelage of Andromeda and Poppy, became the best healing team St. Mungo’s ever had. Though Peter Pettigrew was never caught, the two of them managed to wake Ron up from his coma.

Unfortunately, a twelve-year-old mind in the body of an adult rarely reacts well. Ron would have to remain heavily sedated for the rest of his life. Every time they tried taking him off sedation, he would begin freaking out again.

Thankfully, the Longbottoms reacted much better when they were revived several months later. Harry and Hermione eventually married, and had two children, a boy and a girl. Poppy followed her parents into healing, while Fawkes became an auror.

Fawkes, like the names James, Lily, and Harry after Voldemort’s defeat on Halloween, became one of the most common names for wizards. Every student in the Great Hall on the day of the phoenix’s passing named a child in honor of him, making for a confusing several years when they began showing up at Hogwarts. Even some of the aurors and goblins present named a child Fawkes.

The remaining Weasleys all became aurors to insure nothing like what happened to their brother happened to anyone else. The twins were quickly picked up by the Department of Mysteries and created several different types of objects that aurors and hitwizards began using regularly.

Neither Lucius Malfoy nor Peter Pettigrew were ever caught by the aurors. Rumors spread that Narcissa was keeping Lucius in one of his own dungeons popped up every now and then, but she would never confirm or deny them. Peter tried to find his master, ended up lost in a forest somewhere, and made the mistake of transforming into his animagus form near a snake’s nest.

Draco Malfoy was rumored to be healed, but never seen again. Speculations on whether Scorpius Malfoy was his son or Lucius’ son would run rampant when the boy showed up to Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore would die in Azkaban. Having been thrown into the deepest, darkest parts of the prison, his passing would go unnoticed for a month. When it was finally announced, no one cared.

Rita Skeeter spent the rest of her days shoveling dragon dung, the goblins having caught up to her a few months after she began running. They didn’t bother officially informing the Ministry, but the few aurors let in on it by their goblin friends found it very amusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a six chapter story (not counting the prologue and epilogue) but chapter 3 turned into chapters 3, 4, and part of 5, the original chapter 4 turned into 5 and 6, the original chapter 5 turned into chapters 7 and 8, and the original chapter 6 turned into chapters 9 and 10. At least chapters 1 and 2 stayed their correct sizes.
> 
> The prologue of Goblin Warfare should be up tomorrow (October 10th) or the next day.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has a fanfiction.net account, please go to [my ff.net profile](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2749197/) and please post in the reviews of the stories there (and maybe on the forums which have a link in the ff.net profile) that the stories are being completed here. Thank you, if you take the time to do this.


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